“How to pray for supernatural healing for others and oneself when a bad health diagnosis has happened? Seemingly in the prime of life. Knowing that everything doesn’t always work out. How to keep faith and hope alive during these times.”
“If we have the Holy Spirit in us, why does he not protect us from sickness, death, or our body imperfections?”
In this JCC answer, I have combined two similar questions. These are similar in concern and content. Both express a question regarding our health and God’s involvement. I will try to summarize these questions into the following:
Suffering entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned against God; Genesis 3, for instance, clearly illustrates both an increase in pain in childbirth and labor. Also, people began to age or suffer the consequences of mortality.
Since then, people have known suffering in all its forms. While suffering can result from our own poor decisions, through evil done against us, or as a result of natural processes gone wrong, God sometimes uses our suffering for His purposes.
Consider God’s servant Job. Job, a wealthy man who adored his children, attracted Satan’s attention. In a cosmic conversation, Satan challenged God to allow him access to Job’s life, sure the man would curse God once his beloved children, health, and riches were torn from his grasp. Job, though, clung to God despite horrific suffering and served as a testimony of faithfulness to God and the heavenly armies as well as to those who have read the words of Scripture since.
Sometimes, individual suffering is used in our lives to influence others. Young Joseph, for instance, could not have known that when he was thrown in the pit, sold into slavery, or accused of rape that God would use him to save his family from starvation and ensure the survival of Israel.
Suffering, though painful, results in spiritual growth Romans 5:3-4. Saul, later known as Paul, provides a prime example. Known for persecuting believers, Jesus blinded Saul for three days—the first of many ways in which the apostle suffered—a situation that led to Saul’s conversion and a life of faith. Through the apostle Paul, the church expanded and introduced people outside of the Jewish faith to Christ.
As a Bible student and teacher, I often answer the question of why God allows suffering: “I don’t know for certain!” My answer may not sound or feel very theological. However, it does point to a truth that we sometimes forget: God’s ways and purposes are higher than ours, and we won’t always figure them out.
Many books have been written about suffering, and I am still ill-equipped to explain its purposes. When faced with suffering, believers have two choices: draw near to God or give up their faith. God has given us many good reasons to draw near to Him and not give up!
That is, in a sense, what happened in the Garden of Eden. When Satan deceived Eve, he invited her into suffering by giving up her relationship with God. But through His death on the cross, Jesus overcame the Enemy. As the second Adam, He has given us an eternal life free of heartache. Jesus provided hope in suffering! Rev 21:4 encourages with these words, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away.”
We CAN have hope in the midst of suffering! Based on the following verses, we discover the Bible instructs us to have hope in suffering because:
Our sufferings are “light and momentary” and “are achieving for us an eternal glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Paul reassures that when viewed from eternity, our pain will appear short-lived.
God is with us through every trial. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles…” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Suffering produces a mature faith. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that testing your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Christ gives us His peace. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
While suffering is something we must all endure, those of us who know Christ as Savior can hold to the promises of scripture. Because He has already won the victory over death, we can trust our Lord is with us through every struggle!
This brings me to the second question: Does the Holy Spirit protect us from sickness, death, and body imperfections? I understand that the indwelling Holy Spirit’s key purpose is to provide every Christian with knowledge and power. However, I do not see in Scripture that His role is to protect us from death, sickness, or body imperfections.
We receive the gift of the Spirit not to add knowledge to our minds but to stimulate and strengthen our wills for obedience and service as we read and act upon the written word. To be “led by the Spirit” (Rom 8:14) is not to receive subjective intellectual enlightenment but to receive inward empowerment to overcome moral weakness and put sin to death in our bodies (Rom 8:13) as we study and try to live the Bible.
The second main work of the Spirit is to bestow power upon God’s people. He enters into the hearts and lives of all believers to allow them to fight the power of sin in their lives, i.e., He indwells them for sanctification (holy living).
Each of these, knowledge and power, certainly involves much more than will be discussed in this article. My main point is to help the reader see that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling tasks do not include protection from sickness, death, or bodily imperfections.
In closing, I am listing some sub-tasks associated with the Holy Spirit in the lives of His people:
He washes and renews us (Titus 3:5).
He regenerates us (John 3:5-8, Titus 3:5).
He glorifies and testifies of Christ (John 15:26, 16:14).
He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
He leads us (Rom. 8:14, Gal. 5:18, Matt. 4:1, Luke 4:1).
He sanctifies us (2 Thess. 2:13, 1 Pet. 1:2, Rom. 5:16).
He bears witness in us that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16).
He empowers us (Luke 4:14, 24:49, Rom. 15:19, Acts 1:8).
He comforts us (Acts 9:31)
He brings unity and oneness to the body (Eph. 4:3, 2:14-18).
He fills us (Eph. 5:18, Acts 2:4, 4:8, 31,9:17).
He teaches us to pray (Rom. 8:26-27, Jude 1:20).
He anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18, Acts 10:38).
He distributes spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4, 8-10, Heb. 2:4).
He is the guarantee and deposit of our resurrection (2 Cor. 1:22, 2 Cor. 5:5).
He seals us unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13, 4:30).
He sets us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
He quickens our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11).
He reveals the deep things of God to us (1 Cor. 2:10).
He reveals what God has given us (1 Cor. 2:12).
He dwells in us (Rom. 8:9, 1 Cor. 3:16, 2 Tim. 1:14)
He speaks to, in, and through us (Matt. 10:20, Acts 2:4, 8:29, 1 Cor. 2:3, 1 Tim. 4:1,
Heb 3:7 Rev. 2:11).
He is the agent by which we are baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).
He brings liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
He transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
He comes into our hearts and cries Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6).
He enables us to wait (Gal. 5:5).
He supplies us with Christ (Phil. 1:19, KJV).
He grants everlasting life (Gal. 6:8).
He gives us access to God the Father (Eph. 2:18).
He makes habitations of God (Eph. 2:22).
He reveals the mystery of God to us (Eph. 3:5).
He strengthens our spirits (Eph. 3:16).
He enables us to obey the truth (1 Pet. 1:22).
He tells us that Jesus abides in us (1 John 3:24, 4:13).
He confesses that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2).
He makes overseers in the church. (Acts 20:28).
He dispenses God’s love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5).
He bears witness to the truth in our conscience (Rom. 9:1).
He teaches us (1 Cor. 2:13)
He gives us joy (1 Thess. 1:6).
He enables us to preach the gospel (1 Pet. 1:12).
He produces the fruit in us (Gal. 5:22-23).
He knows the things of God (1 Cor. 2:11).
He casts out demons (Matt. 12:28).
He anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18, Acts 10:38).
He sends people out to minister. (Acts 13:2)
Dick Moser
October 16th, 2024
“If we have the Holy Spirit in us, why does he not protect us from sickness, death, or our body imperfections?”
In this JCC answer, I have combined two similar questions. These are similar in concern and content. Both express a question regarding our health and God’s involvement. I will try to summarize these questions into the following:
- How do we pray for healing and remain hopeful after a severe health diagnosis?
- Does the Holy Spirit protect us from sickness, death, and body imperfections?
Suffering entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned against God; Genesis 3, for instance, clearly illustrates both an increase in pain in childbirth and labor. Also, people began to age or suffer the consequences of mortality.
Since then, people have known suffering in all its forms. While suffering can result from our own poor decisions, through evil done against us, or as a result of natural processes gone wrong, God sometimes uses our suffering for His purposes.
Consider God’s servant Job. Job, a wealthy man who adored his children, attracted Satan’s attention. In a cosmic conversation, Satan challenged God to allow him access to Job’s life, sure the man would curse God once his beloved children, health, and riches were torn from his grasp. Job, though, clung to God despite horrific suffering and served as a testimony of faithfulness to God and the heavenly armies as well as to those who have read the words of Scripture since.
Sometimes, individual suffering is used in our lives to influence others. Young Joseph, for instance, could not have known that when he was thrown in the pit, sold into slavery, or accused of rape that God would use him to save his family from starvation and ensure the survival of Israel.
Suffering, though painful, results in spiritual growth Romans 5:3-4. Saul, later known as Paul, provides a prime example. Known for persecuting believers, Jesus blinded Saul for three days—the first of many ways in which the apostle suffered—a situation that led to Saul’s conversion and a life of faith. Through the apostle Paul, the church expanded and introduced people outside of the Jewish faith to Christ.
As a Bible student and teacher, I often answer the question of why God allows suffering: “I don’t know for certain!” My answer may not sound or feel very theological. However, it does point to a truth that we sometimes forget: God’s ways and purposes are higher than ours, and we won’t always figure them out.
Many books have been written about suffering, and I am still ill-equipped to explain its purposes. When faced with suffering, believers have two choices: draw near to God or give up their faith. God has given us many good reasons to draw near to Him and not give up!
That is, in a sense, what happened in the Garden of Eden. When Satan deceived Eve, he invited her into suffering by giving up her relationship with God. But through His death on the cross, Jesus overcame the Enemy. As the second Adam, He has given us an eternal life free of heartache. Jesus provided hope in suffering! Rev 21:4 encourages with these words, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away.”
We CAN have hope in the midst of suffering! Based on the following verses, we discover the Bible instructs us to have hope in suffering because:
Our sufferings are “light and momentary” and “are achieving for us an eternal glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Paul reassures that when viewed from eternity, our pain will appear short-lived.
God is with us through every trial. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles…” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Suffering produces a mature faith. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that testing your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Christ gives us His peace. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
While suffering is something we must all endure, those of us who know Christ as Savior can hold to the promises of scripture. Because He has already won the victory over death, we can trust our Lord is with us through every struggle!
This brings me to the second question: Does the Holy Spirit protect us from sickness, death, and body imperfections? I understand that the indwelling Holy Spirit’s key purpose is to provide every Christian with knowledge and power. However, I do not see in Scripture that His role is to protect us from death, sickness, or body imperfections.
We receive the gift of the Spirit not to add knowledge to our minds but to stimulate and strengthen our wills for obedience and service as we read and act upon the written word. To be “led by the Spirit” (Rom 8:14) is not to receive subjective intellectual enlightenment but to receive inward empowerment to overcome moral weakness and put sin to death in our bodies (Rom 8:13) as we study and try to live the Bible.
The second main work of the Spirit is to bestow power upon God’s people. He enters into the hearts and lives of all believers to allow them to fight the power of sin in their lives, i.e., He indwells them for sanctification (holy living).
Each of these, knowledge and power, certainly involves much more than will be discussed in this article. My main point is to help the reader see that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling tasks do not include protection from sickness, death, or bodily imperfections.
In closing, I am listing some sub-tasks associated with the Holy Spirit in the lives of His people:
He washes and renews us (Titus 3:5).
He regenerates us (John 3:5-8, Titus 3:5).
He glorifies and testifies of Christ (John 15:26, 16:14).
He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
He leads us (Rom. 8:14, Gal. 5:18, Matt. 4:1, Luke 4:1).
He sanctifies us (2 Thess. 2:13, 1 Pet. 1:2, Rom. 5:16).
He bears witness in us that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16).
He empowers us (Luke 4:14, 24:49, Rom. 15:19, Acts 1:8).
He comforts us (Acts 9:31)
He brings unity and oneness to the body (Eph. 4:3, 2:14-18).
He fills us (Eph. 5:18, Acts 2:4, 4:8, 31,9:17).
He teaches us to pray (Rom. 8:26-27, Jude 1:20).
He anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18, Acts 10:38).
He distributes spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4, 8-10, Heb. 2:4).
He is the guarantee and deposit of our resurrection (2 Cor. 1:22, 2 Cor. 5:5).
He seals us unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13, 4:30).
He sets us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
He quickens our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11).
He reveals the deep things of God to us (1 Cor. 2:10).
He reveals what God has given us (1 Cor. 2:12).
He dwells in us (Rom. 8:9, 1 Cor. 3:16, 2 Tim. 1:14)
He speaks to, in, and through us (Matt. 10:20, Acts 2:4, 8:29, 1 Cor. 2:3, 1 Tim. 4:1,
Heb 3:7 Rev. 2:11).
He is the agent by which we are baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).
He brings liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
He transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
He comes into our hearts and cries Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6).
He enables us to wait (Gal. 5:5).
He supplies us with Christ (Phil. 1:19, KJV).
He grants everlasting life (Gal. 6:8).
He gives us access to God the Father (Eph. 2:18).
He makes habitations of God (Eph. 2:22).
He reveals the mystery of God to us (Eph. 3:5).
He strengthens our spirits (Eph. 3:16).
He enables us to obey the truth (1 Pet. 1:22).
He tells us that Jesus abides in us (1 John 3:24, 4:13).
He confesses that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2).
He makes overseers in the church. (Acts 20:28).
He dispenses God’s love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5).
He bears witness to the truth in our conscience (Rom. 9:1).
He teaches us (1 Cor. 2:13)
He gives us joy (1 Thess. 1:6).
He enables us to preach the gospel (1 Pet. 1:12).
He produces the fruit in us (Gal. 5:22-23).
He knows the things of God (1 Cor. 2:11).
He casts out demons (Matt. 12:28).
He anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18, Acts 10:38).
He sends people out to minister. (Acts 13:2)
Dick Moser
October 16th, 2024
